1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to carbonized fibers and, more specifically, to carbonized fibers that include carbonized cellulose nano-structures.
2. Description of the Related Art
The vast majority of carbon fibers are currently processed from polyacrylonitrile (PAN). PAN fibers are typically drawn in a spinning process. They are then stabilized and carbonized to form carbon fibers. The addition of small amount of carbon nanotubes as reinforcement in PAN can result in more than a 50% increase in the modulus and tensile strength of the resulting carbon fiber. However, carbon nanotubes are still too expensive for common commercial uses.
Therefore, there is a need for an inexpensive method of making reinforced carbon fibers.